ESPN analytics project LSU as favorite to win SEC

ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) pegs the LSU Tigers as not only the favorite to win the SEC, but to be the best college football team of 2016.

LSU began its 2015 season with high hopes and rattled off seven consecutive victories to begin the year before a November loss to Alabama, followed by two more losses to Arkansas and Ole Miss, derailed the promising season. But with 18 starters returning, including Heisman Trophy favorite Leonard Fournette, ESPN projects 10.5 wins for the Tigers and gives LSU a 38.8 percent chance at the SEC crown.

Alabama, the defending conference and national champions, has the sixth-highest FPI in the nation, but just a 10.8 percent chance at a repeat victory in the SEC Championship Game. Instead, it’s Tennessee that has the second-best chance at the conference title at 28.3 percent.

UGA is the only other team with a more than 10 percent chance at winning the SEC. The full FPI for SEC teams: